Shelter: Lines Of Communication
by Aozoran
Summary: Third In the Shelter Series. When a shocking discovery is made about an old friend's fate, Team Prime face a new race against the clock to rescue all those who were considered to be lost to the depths of space. HideXPrime, RatchXAid, JazzXProwl.
1. Part 1: Discovery

**Author's Note: Since most people didn't quite like the story about Arcee and Firestar, I thought I might change direction and actually write a story that adds a little more backstory for the two pairings already in this series and maybe see who I can develop in the future. I'm quite willing to have a little fun in this story and take directions from people. Maybe I can work out what pairing to do next. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything.  
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><p><strong>The Autobot Base, Nevada, Earth<strong>

"Don't you even dare think about it." First Aid's hands immediately rested on his hips, his jaw clenching slightly as he regarded Ratchet with a rather impatient look. "I promised Agent Fowler I would consider it and I _have_." Lips pressing into a firm line, the slender medic was clearly not about to cave to any of Ratchet's demands. "I might be carrying but that does not mean I am incapable of performing the most rudimentary negotiations."

"It is too risky…"

"No, it isn't." Pale optics narrowed behind his visor, expression clearly showing that he was unimpressed this time with Ratchet's over-protectiveness. "I will be surrounded by military units and escorted the entire time. There is no risk to me. I'll be gone no more than a few hours…"

"_Human_ protection. MECH has ambushed us twice in the past few orns… they would give anything to…"

"I doubt they would be stupid enough to attack something so visible in the middle of Washington D.C." Snorting softly, First Aid was already packing several pieces of medical equipment he usually carried with him everywhere he went off-base. "Agent Fowler, maybe you can convince this giant lug that his safety concerns are simply that, _concerns_."

"You have our utmost assurance, Ratchet, that no harm will come to First Aid." The coffee skinned human was ready straightening his tie and attempting to look as presentable as possible, his jacket being buttoned in place and smoothed down repeatedly. "This is a significant event in species relations. The President himself is going to greet First Aid and officially welcome the Autobots as our allies before some very important dignitaries."

"Listen to sense and reason!" Ratchet's expression was deeply troubled, his fingers twitching together and he was already ready to fling the nearest object at the concrete walls around him. "This is not safe… You…"

"This is not just about me, Ratch." Slender hands were soon tracing soft circles against Ratchet's cheekplates, drawing the mech's helm downwards and kissing him soundly, drawing him in closer and just wanting to be able to offer his own brand of reassurance. "This is about us finding a place on Earth, cementing our relations with the humans, also in making a good impression for Agent Fowler's benefit."

The human actually paused at that, his dark brown eyes gazing upwards to look at First Aid with an expression of surprise.

One optical ridge lifted behind the mech's visor, his lips twitching slightly. "You have done much for us, Agent Fowler, most of which goes unrecognised by both sides. I am well aware of the fact that this meeting might just earn you a promotion within the Bureau's ranks."

Ratchet's pacing immediately ceased, his blue optics regarding the human with renewed interest, but a flash of comprehension immediately followed as information was rapidly shared between the medics through their bond, allowing Ratchet to glean how much this meeting actually meant to their human liaison. "Fine."

First Aid was offering his bondmate a loving little smile, before he was stretching slightly and inputting the correct coordinates into the GroundBridge so that it would drop him into the secure underground parking facility underneath the Pentagon, where he would pick up the military escort. Shifting, the smaller mech was transforming down into his vehicle mode. His white and blue paintwork glinting in the slightly harsh lighting of the base.

A pretty blonde stood beside the hood, slender hands smoothing down his shirt and tie, giving Special Agent Fowler a small smile. "I hope this form is acceptable. I can change it if…"

"No, no its fine." William Fowler shook his head slightly in amusement, almost thinking that the Cybertronians could quite literally change holoforms as often as they like, 'switching bodies' if they so desired.

The holoform actually let out a squeak as Ratchet's large servo suddenly coiled around him, sweeping him upwards with a tenderness that spoke of his deep love and affection for his bondmate. Lifting the blonde to optic level, pale blue eyes clashed with bright blue optics. First Aid's eyes actually widened in surprise, his head tipping upwards, regarding Ratchet as a human might, actually starting to get a sense of his own size in comparison to the smaller organics.

"Promise me." Ratchet's optics were pleading, his thumb softly brushing against the silky cheek of his lover's holoform, feeling the warm palms sliding against his own sensitive digits in response.

"Any hint of trouble no matter how small I will call in." His expression softened. "I want to do this, Ratch, I've been itching to do it ever since Agent Fowler mentioned it to me. You know I love xenobiology…" Laughter bubbled up in First Aid as his head appeared over the edge of Ratchet's hand as he was finally being settled back down to the ground, a finger wiggling at William Fowler who stood beside the driver's side door. "I drive."

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><p><strong>The Pentagon, Virginia, Earth<strong>

William Fowler was gaining sceptical looks from several of the guard detail as they looked over what appeared to be nothing more than a white and blue rescue vehicle and its blonde driver. Sighing, his fingers rubbed lightly against his forehead and his thumbs swept across his eyes wishing that sometimes the soldiers that answered to him would actually believe what they were told.

"No awe factor?" First Aid's lips twitched, his tussled blonde curls framing his pretty face, a sparkle of something glittering in the bright blue eyes half hidden behind the mech's shades. "Should I do something… inhuman?"

"You don't need to. Men should trust what they are told."

A soft little laugh escaped the holoform, before he was slipping out of the driver's seat, indicating for Agent Fowler to follow suit, before lightly patting a palm against his own frame in quiet amusement. "I thought the human term was 'seeing is believing'." Though he leaned against the edge of the door, regarding those surrounding him and glanced back over at the Special Agent for a long moment. "Is it safe to do so here?"

A smile quirked the human's mouth, before he shrugged. "Why not."

The holoform melted away into nothingness as First Aid happily transformed, limbs stretching and he made sure to be careful not to hit his head on the ceiling. "They should make these places with more headroom." His pale blue optics flickered upwards letting out a rather amused little sound before easing down to one knee joint to bring him closer to the humans around him. The mech's optics widened slightly when weapons actually turned on him. His arm instantly wrapped around his chassis, protecting the sparklings and looking troubled.

"Put those weapons away!" Agent Fowler was already shoving down several barrels and looking highly irritated at some of the soldiers, though most didn't even seem to notice as they just stared at him, shock and wonder on some of their faces. "First Aid is a _medic _and a guest of the President himself."

"I think they would probably be glad that Ratchet didn't seem them…" First Aid knowing that Ratchet would have happily done something to anyone that dared to threaten him.

A shudder ran down through Fowler and he nodded, considering Ratchet had levelled several threats against the human before they had left assuring Agent Fowler than if First Aid returned with even a scratch the human would learn exactly what an angry medic with new knowledge of human biology could do.

"They weren't joking…" The commanding officer of the unit swallowed hard as he looked up at First Aid. "Really are…"

"Cybertronians." First Aid lifted his jaw slightly, clearly wanting to get this clear before they started referring to them as 'robots', which they weren't. "I am as alive as you, Captain." His hand rubbed lightly against his chassis, feeling the twins stirring a little, unsettled by all the commotion and the loss of Ratchet's closeness. Though his spark bond hummed quietly in the back of his mind, it was tamped down but still sending him sparks of worry and concern from the other end. "I have a soul, a mind and a loving family."

The medic knew that sooner or later his siblings _would_ come to Earth. It was rare they were parted for as long as they had been… though he was more than certain Streetwise would turn up. At times he honestly missed his brother, missed the easy warmth and calm nature. He was relaxing along with his thoughts, a smile creeping over his facial plates.

"Aid, I think they might get the point." Coughing slightly, he looked almost amused. "Are all expecting… bots so glowy?"

"Glowy?" His head tilted slightly, both optic ridges lifting at that one. Lifting one servo he looked at it, actually running a few scans in different visible spectrums to detect any 'glow', but found nothing other than his regular heat signature and his blue and white armour. "I am not emitting any kind of unusual light spectra, Special Agent Fowler, can you be more specific as to what kind of…?"

Several of the soldiers had chuckled at the slight obliviousness of the Cybertronian to the human references and it was that that made the rest of them relax and know that this bot was definitely not one of the 'bad guys'.

Agent Fowler lightly patted a hand against First Aid's shin plating, giving the mech a wry smile. "Don't worry yourself over it, Aid, though I guess its time we roll out."

"As you wish."

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><p><strong>The Autobot Base, Nevada, Earth<strong>

A wrench slammed hard against the wall, cracking the concrete as the missile finally dropped onto the floor with a resounding clang, a moment later a second went flying from the doorway of the medical bay with the intent of striking the same spot when a large battle roughened servo caught it in mid-flight.

"What did the wall do to earn your wrath?" Ironhide eased over to the doorway, one broad shoulder leaning against it and gazed in at the positively seething medic within. It was clear from the disarray of a number of items that Ratchet had been on a mini-rampage within the confines of First Aid's usually immaculate medical bay.

"_Exist_." Ratchet snarled, pacing the length of the room, hands clenching and unclenching rapidly, his optics flashing blue fire at the largest of the Autobot team.

"You worried about your other half?"

"He should not be out there." A finger gestured eastwards, his agitation growing by the moment, his pace quickening. "I told him so… _**slag**_… But… one look." His denta clicked together, several rather choice Cybertronian curses filling the air. "He was so excited about it. I could not…" Hands clenched even more tightly. "I could not deny him whatever he asked me for." Blue optics suddenly pinned Ironhide to the spot. "How do you do it?"

Now that made one raven optical ridge lift upwards nearly to the edge of his helm in question. "Do what exactly?"

"Talk down Optimus. How do you say…" Ratchet practically huffed, heated air coiling out of him, his fist suddenly connecting with the wall, cracking the concrete and he slumped forwards, his entire body vibrating with his unleashed emotions. "No…? Fraggit… I can say it to anyone else, but the moment he looks at me… the moment I feel his excitement… his…" An aggravated sound slipped out, before his fingers were rubbing up across his chassis, trailing along the hidden scars that ran the length of his chassis and across his spark casing.

"There are some things we can never deny those we love." Ironhide seated himself in the chair by the desk, long legs stretching out in front of him because even that was far too small for his big frame. "Trust me, there are some things I can't resist doing for Orion and some things he does for me."

"I would be offlined if he hadn't killed to save me." Leaning himself against the edge of the large medical berth that sat in the middle of the room, he rubbed a hand across his facial plates, wishing he could ease the dull ache within his spark at the absence of his bondmate from the base. "I know it haunts him. I've never met another who is so… giving."

"He is truly what it means to be an Autobot." The large warrior agreed, crossing large arms over his chassis and regarded Ratchet with quiet understanding. "I would tear apart any that would hurt my bondmate. I have before… and I would again. I know my Orion wants nothing more than to get his servos on Mindwipe if the little slagger is still functional…"

Ratchet slowly allowed his fingers to unclench, his shoulders slumping while he released the pent up emotions that cascaded through every system he possessed. Instead he was picking up one of the scanners and carrying it over towards Ironhide, the warrior gave the device a glare of disgust but didn't bother commenting as he was once more scanned and everything within his cranial unit was checked for damage. It had been found that almost all of it had been badly fused and memory files corrupted and it had taken large doses of nanites and other regeneration methods to even repair a tenth of the damage done by the vorns of exposure to Mindwipe's powers.

"I don't know what I would do without Orion, Ratch." The warrior admitted softly, his dark blue optics dulled a little. "I honestly…frag…" His voice trailed off, his expression etched with such a spark deep trauma that it would take vorns more before it would even be close to healing. What had been done to Ironhide had been the most unspeakable violation and it was through Ironhide's force of will and love of Optimus Prime that kept him sane and together most of the time. "He holds me together… I know no joy without his smile, no happiness without his touch. His love is everything to me, without him in my spark and mind I would have long ago shattered and become nothing more than an animal. Orion Pax changed me that day I meet him… the day he looked into my spark and trusted in me to always protect his back."

There was a sudden intake of air that made Ironhide jerk upright, his hand lifting to press against the middle of his chassis, as if attempting to touch his own spark bond. Optimus Prime stood in the doorway, his pale azure optics wide and just staring at Ironhide, gaze searching the black and crimson warrior's face for something and found it.

It was rare that Ironhide would speak out loud at length to another about his feelings for the Prime.

"I love you." Optimus Prime whispered, instantly coming to stand before the larger mech, standing between his spread knees, his hands stretching out to caress tenderly against both cheekplates tenderly. Helm dipping, the mech's forehead lightly touched against Ironhide's, their lips brushing in an intimate caress. Palms were slowly sweeping across the back of his helm, taking his time to trace the line of every scar and mark on the large mech's shoulders neck.

Ratchet just watched the two mechs, a part of him grateful that Optimus had someone and part of him screaming that First Aid should be close to him. Even though it had barely been an hour that they had been apart… he craved the closeness of his beloved.

Suddenly, Ratchet's entire body jolted, his body halting midstride as he suddenly became aware of images and sounds. It was rare that so much would be given through a spark bond, Ratchet's entire awareness had been sucked through their link. Ratchet staggered, his balance immediately thrown, dizziness sweeping through him as he tried desperately to interpret the world that First Aid was projecting directly into his optical relays. "Aid?" His voice was a choked whisper, his optics shuttering tightly, yet he could still see the vivid images. The presence of his bondmate was like a rush as intimate as a full spark merge, it felt like the mech was literally within his frame, filling every inch of him with heat and such sensation that he felt as if he would explode from the intensity of it.

_'Ratchet.' _

A shiver of pleasure rocketed through the medic and he did sway and drop to his knee joints, optics closing as his head tipped back and he let out a shuddering sigh of delight. This was all he craved.

"Ratchet!" A voice was puncturing through the cloud of pleasure that stormed through the white and crimson medic, immediately a scowl came to Ratchet's lips in response.

"What?" He snapped harshly, only becoming aware after a few moments that he was actually on his aft on the floor. Several alerts were going off in his processors, his fingers rubbed at his temple lightly, his vision blurring between the input he was receiving from his bondmate and his own sensor net.

_'Listen. Ratchet… listen!'_ First Aid was desperately attempting to pull Ratchet back into the link.

_"The Government of the United States offers to you and your fellow Autobots a gift." _

Suddenly something small was being proffered out to First Aid's holoform, it was small, no larger than a beach ball. Yet, it made everything within the medic freeze and explained exactly why the medic had been attempting desperately to drag Ratchet into the bond with him.

There was a sense of deep horror radiating out of First Aid as the metal sphere was lifted to optic level, the brilliant glow from within it radiating out through the semi-transparent parts.

_'Ratchet, here now! I don't care about security… I need you, bring the life support equipment!'_

And Ratchet had already picked up the equipment he needed, bolting from room with both of the other mechs on his heels, calling for him to tell them what was wrong.

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><p><strong>The White House, Washington D.C., Earth<strong>

Glass shattered as First Aid's frame came through the large windows into the auditorium where the humans and others had been gathered, guns immediately going off the moment he appeared, bouncing off his armour and dropping thankfully to the floor. Though they stung, they didn't puncture anything vital and he was already diving towards his own holoform, both hands lifting the sphere upwards, running a thousand different scans across the spark stasis pod.

"Agent Fowler!" First Aid yelled over the automatic weapons' fire, "Tell them to stop! I need peace…"

A startled sound escaped the medic as he recognised the spark contained within the minimally powered stasis field. "_Jazz_." Disbelief edged his tone, but he was already withdrawing an emergency generator out of subspace. Lines were already being connected up and the power restored to the badly damaged stasis unit. First Aid clasped it close, his palms pressed against the smooth metal, fingertips stroking in soothing circles, allowing a slow flow of his natural empathy to slide over the agitated spark, letting out a soft reassuring sound. Low whispers of Cybertronian escaped him.

People truly were panicking now as a GroundBridge suddenly opened inside of the room, Ratchet rushing through his blue optics wide as Optimus Prime and Ironhide came in after him, weapons running hot.

"Clear this room!" Ratchet snarled, quite willing to give orders as he was glaring at all of those who had dared to harm his bondmate, still feeling the sting and would have gone after each and every human that had dared to raise a weapon against an unarmed medic. "Get every human out of here, Fowler." Denta were bared, blue optics flashing with embers of a spark deep rage before he was dropping to his pedes beside his bondmate.

The mech's fingertips tenderly caressed his bondmate's cheekplate, the sizzle of heat between them palpable. Ratchet reassuring himself that all was well with his bondmate before turning his attention to the spark that was fluttering wildly in response to the presences it felt around it.

Both Ironhide and Optimus were clearing the room of everyone but Agent Fowler who looked as if the world had just exploded into flames around him. However, Optimus's head turned towards First Aid, confusion actually evident on his features. "Jazz… my scanners are picking up…"

"He's here…" First Aid's voice was straggled with pain and suppressed anger at the state the spark was in. "By Primus… he's starved… but… where did they find him? Where on this planet could they find a spark in a stasis sphere? It could only have been removed a few orns from its main power source… but… where?"

"Jazz was assigned to the…"

Silence filled the space as all four Autobots shared one look.

"What…? What in the _blazes_ is going on?" Agent Fowler demanded.

"That is what _your_ government needs to tell us. _This_ can only be from the Ark." Ratchet's optics were narrowed on the human. "There is no other ship equipped with this type of stasis sphere, I would know because I was the one that built them."

Fowler's mouth opened and then shut again, unable to answer as he was suddenly placed into a situation that made him the target of the anger of four rather large impressive beings from outer space. It seemed someone in the government would have a _lot_ of explaining to do.

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><p><strong>XD I bet MECH has something to do with this maybe XD or a hidden Sector Seven lurking around somewhere. I'm quite up for taking suggestions for this! Or what people would like to see in this little story before I continue on to the next pairing. Next chapter will definitely have Jazz and maybe even Prowl in it. Would people like that? Jazz and Prowl? Or Bumblebee and Silverbolt?<strong>


	2. Part 2: Devastation

**Author's Note: I'm delighted at how popular this particular fic is. It just makes me smile to know just how much people enjoy the shelter Series. I feel that this story will allow some of the pairings to begin to form a little before they get their own stories and also allow me to play with a few of the Decepticons that I want to play with later. LOOL. This is 'officially' Jazz and Prowl's story, there will be a lot more for them in later chapters. **

**Disclaimer: Own nothing but this quote. **

**Optimus Prime: Sam, I owe you my life. We are in your pants. (got to love the substitute of 'pants' for another word in a quote, it just ends up so funny!)  
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><p><strong>Supply Depot Raxex 9, Edge of Praxis, Cybertron [Past]<strong>

_The stench of dried fluids and death hovered in the air around him, the coldness of the floor beneath him beginning to seep into his frame slowly, gnawing away at what strength remained within him. The softest of groans slipped past his lips, optics slowly beginning to power online again, the blue so pale it almost appeared grey. Fingers curled and twitched, body jerking with the ragged draws of cooling air into his ventilation systems, the sickly sweet note of spilt energon in the air almost making him gag. _

_The only source of relief he found was knowing that Arcee had been rescued. The sounds of her cries and screams of his name still seemed to echo around the smoky space, though she had long since been carried away by Cliffjumper and Bumblebee. _

_Pedes clicked against the metal flooring, soft… light… _Arcee?_ Or could it be another mech? Tailgate could no longer tell. _

_"Get those explosives rigged up, Chromia. I want this pit blown to the moons before we blast free of this place." _

_His mouth moved slightly, his vocals barely making a sound above a sickening gurgle. Optics flickered, his vision swimming in and out slowly, the only thing appearing in his line of vision was a pair of ankle joints finished in colours he could no longer recognise as darkness curled around the edges of his vision. He was being slowly eaten alive by that blackness, its blight consuming everything in its wake, leaving only the sound of others as a sharp contrast to his other dulled senses. Fluids slowly trickled out between his parted lips, dripping to the floor as another rattling sound slipped up from within his chassis, when he attempted to speak. _

_Suddenly a servo lightly touched his helm, turning it just a little, enough for him to get a clear view of who it was crouching down beside him. A pretty face… unfamiliar… but thankfully that of an Autobot. _

_"Get Remedy in here now! We have a survivor!" _

_And then Tailgate knew no more. _

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><p><strong>Decepticon Warship, Nemesis, Earth's Atmosphere<strong>

_"What… what are you doing?" _

_"Getting you out of here." _

A shiver actually rippled its way through Breakdown, his jaw clenching as he sat up, his hand coming to lightly touch where his optic had been literally ripped from his helm. His shoulder leaned against the wall, chassis heaving with the last echoes of the memory files that would never stop playing no matter how often he tried to lock them away in the back of his processors. Screams still echoed off the walls and the Decepticon knew they were his own.

Was this what some of the Autobots had experienced at the hands of Knockout? An ice cold chill rippled down through his spinal plating, his fingers clenching into fists as he desperately attempted to draw himself back together. He knew before he had been assigned as the medic's 'assistant'… the medic had been known as someone who took pleasure in being given Autobots to _study_. Fear burned in his fuel lines, something he would never openly admit to, but he felt it.

Suddenly Breakdown's head twisted towards the doorway, jerking the moment he realised he was not alone, a tall thin form stood there, face hidden behind the flat 'display' screen. However in the dark like that, he caught a glimpse of crimson optics behind the darkened shield, they stared straight at him, pinning him to the spot. Soundwave hovered, a presence that could never be denied no matter how silent he remained.

"What do you…?" He was just starting to let out a sharp snarl, desperate to hide any show of weakness from Megatron's spy, when he felt the gaze narrow on him, silencing the words in his vocaliser.

_"Lord Megatron, I fear Breakdown has gone missing."_

_"The Autobots?" _

_"According to surveillance provided by the astonishingly accurate Soundwave, Breakdown was abducted by humans_

_"Your point?"_

_"My strongest recommendation is that we assemble a rescue to hunt the vermin responsible for this outrage."_

_"Breakdown is on his own." _

A cold wash of emotions flooded through Breakdown as he listened to the voices of Starscream and Megatron played back by Soundwave for his benefit. It brought the reality of what the Decepticons were screaming back to him in sharp relief. Either of the mechs speaking had been at all concerned for him, to Starscream he was merely another tool to be used and abused when the mech needed someone to 'help' him. But to Megatron he was _worthless_.

"Why tell me this?" Why cause more disillusionment with the Decepticons to stir within his spark?

"You wish to join the Autobots."

The voice was so unexpected that Breakdown actually jerked in surprise, his one optic widening as he stared at Soundwave in amazement. The Decepticon had actually _spoken_ to him. The mech's vocal frequencies pleasing to the audio but also stating a truth that he could no longer hide from. What Bulkhead had done that day in Russia had touched some part of his spark that had wanted more than just to be a pawn in a game, discarded whenever he wasn't needed. "Shouldn't you be reporting my disloyal thoughts to Megatron?"

Soundwave almost seemed to smile at that one. "I am willing to assist you."

"What?" His remaining amber optic narrowing sharply, suspicion crawling through him. "_Why_?"

"I have my own reason." A single fingertip lightly touched against his own chassis right over his spark, as if that was all the explanation that was needed. "Are we in agreement?"

Of all the Decepticons, Breakdown had to admit he felt he _could_ trust Soundwave. The mech was not like Airachnid or Starscream, plotting murder and scheming behind Megatron's back, both wanting to outdo the other in an effort to gain the most influence and power within the Decepticon ranks. "So what is it you suggest I do?"

And as Soundwave outlined the plan, Breakdown's mouth curved upwards into a pleased smile as revenge fluttered across his mind and a tiny spark of hope in possibly finding something that he desperately wanted.

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><p><strong>The White House, Washington D.C., Earth<strong>

_"Jazz…" A warm voice filtered through his entire being, the vibrations tickling every inch of his spark. "Stay with me." _

Prowler?_ A part of him eagerly wanted to stretch out a hand to touch the black and white Autobot at hearing that devastated tone directed at him, so much pain and… love mixed in? He would have done anything to hear it again, to continue being cradled like that, safe and protected, against Prowl's chassis, barely a few feet from that pulsing spark. Everything felt almost disembodied, too light. He wanted to speak… to reassure the mech that he would do just as he asked, would be blissfully happy to do so. Jazz had longed to hear Prowl say such words to him. Nothing came out of his mouth, no matter how he struggled to push some kind of sound through his vocals nothing seemed to respond. _

_"Prowl, you need to let go of him." _

_Jazz was filled with a sense of confusion at hearing Perceptor speak, but not be able to sense the bot on his scanners. His scanners weren't working either… everything was black, not even his emergency systems responded to his attempts at finding out what was wrong with him. _

_"Back off." It was a fury snarl, so much hidden meaning crowding into just those two words. _

_Startled to find himself drawn even closer to Prowl, he pressed into the embrace, feeling soft touches dance along the edges of his awareness, gentle and loving. Every part of him rejoiced at finally being acknowledged, at finding gaining a little of what he had craved since he had first met the usually stoic and ice calm Prowl. For so many vorns, he had stuck to the mech's side like a space barnacle to a ship hull, not wanting to miss a moment of time that he could spend in the mech's presence. _

_"He must be placed in stasis if he has any chance of surviving, you of all mechs should know how important his survival is to this crew. It will take time to repair his frame after he sustained such heavy damage, time we do not have if you…" _

Repairs?_ What was Perceptor talking about? _

_"I… I cannot… let him go." And even more softly. "I love him. I have caused him such pain already… such anguish with my…" A choked sob actually did escape Prowl, several tears sliding down over the mech's cheekplates to drop onto the badly damaged spark that was cradled in his palms, tucked protectively against his chassis. Thumbs swept over the outer edges of the bright blue orb, before it was lifted upwards, tucked against a cheekplate, as if desperate to sooth something small and frightened. "He swore to remain by my side through everything… I will not ever leave him. I cannot exist without him, it is impossible." _

_"Prowl! The Decepticons…" _

_There was no time._

_A rush of heat, so searing that the world seemed to become nothing more than a crimson fireball that even Jazz could see. Screams… the shriek of metal against unyielding stone… _

_Nothingness… nothing but the protective warmth of Prowl shielding him from the worst of it. _

_Then he was sliding into something cool. Jazz silently screamed for Prowl, bounding repeatedly off the sudden barrier that came between himself and those gentle servos. Desperation swirled through him, until the sound of thunder echoed through the barrier, vibrating everything… _

_Prowl. _

_His sparkbeat. And the cold barrier slowly began to warm, the sound remaining loud as blackness began to edge in around his awareness. A soft voice whispering over and over that he would not be left alone, that whatever came… they would remain together, that Prowl did love him, more than anything… _

_And Jazz whispered back his own love into that void, hoping by some twist of fate that Prowl would indeed hear him. _

First Aid shivered sharply, his pale blue optics flickering as an awareness of the world around him slowly seeped back into him as he withdrew from the memory file that finally gave him some inkling as to what had happened to the Ark. It was only then that he became aware of the arms around him, the solid frame just beneath his back, the waves of love that filled him to the brim. Inhaling slowly, chassis expanding as cool air replaced the boiling heat that still seemed to linger from the explosion he had experienced within Jazz's memory file, he caught the familiar scent of his bondmate.

"Love." Ratchet voice's was a touch strangled. Servos stroked over the length of his frame, touching each bullet mark and, grip tightening as pain filled his vocals. "Each one of those organics will regret harming you." Even if the wounds were very shallow and amounted to nothing more than a graze, they _had_ caused pain and distress to his bondmate and no one did that without meeting with Ratchet's fists. "I should have been with you."

"You were, Ratch, you were right there when I needed you." Though First Aid knew his words would give no comfort to his beloved, he could easily sense the roiling turmoil that washed around within Ratchet's spark. "I promise I will not be so stubborn next time." His head tipped back, mouth caressing against the strong jaw and just relaxing back into the warmth, the sparklings calming under the gentle stroke of Ratchet's palm across his chassis. "I just wanted… I wanted to be able to be of more use to the team…" He admitted softly. "I remain so much on base…"

_'I have been overprotective and… needlessly…'_ Ratchet allowed their bond to full open between them, knowing that they were protected by those around them and just soothed the distress of his bondmate, reassuring him that he was not angry with First Aid. First Aid was use to being part of something more and being out in the field rather than cooped up as he had mostly been since arriving on Earth_. 'I should have realised just how important today was to you.'_

Neither medic seemed aware of anything for several long moments, their bodies curled together against one of the walls, First Aid holding the stasis sphere close against his chassis, soothing him before they could risk bringing him back through the GroundBridge and back to base.

Agent Fowler's dark brown eyes reflected his deep guilt and regret over what had happened to First Aid, he had begun to truly consider the shorter of the two Autobot medics as a friend. Seeing the damage done to him after he had promised him no harm would come to him burned him up inside, though he knew Ratchet would not be forgiving him for this for an extremely long time when he had been the one to finally convince the battlefield medic that this would be completely safe.

His head tipped back to regard the several Autobots that now filled the space, though his gaze flickered towards Optimus Prime and caught the almost murderous glint in Ironhide's optics when he glanced around him at the soldiers that had remained to secure the area. The humans hoped to contain any problems brought around by a bunch of Autobots inside the large hall of the White House.

Suddenly there was a dark haired man towering a good foot taller than William Fowler, his brilliant blue eyes near crackling with energy and deep seated emotions. His features were strikingly handsome, long waves of rich raven hair framed a slightly Spanish complexion, his mouth twisted into a scowl that really could make a lesser man cringe at the displeasure he was displaying. "You lied to us." The words were quiet, but held the burning steel edge of anger just beneath the surface, one that showed this was a man who would not be denied answers.

The Special Agent backed up a step and suddenly bumped squarely into a broad muscular chest and flinched as massive hands curled around his shoulders and clamping down like vices.

"We _trusted_ in the honesty of our human allies when it came to information about Cybertronian discoveries made on this planet." Fists clenched, blue eyes darkening almost to midnight when his jaw clenched sharply attempting to hold onto the raging emotions wanting to boil up within him. Jazz was his oldest friend, the one responsible for introducing him to his bondmate all those vorns ago back on Cybertron, he had been the first to believe that there was something more to a simple data clerk than a fine worker. "How is it that your people came to have the spark of Jazz?"

Suddenly a high pitched Cybertronian scream tore through the air, every mech's head whipping around to gaze at First Aid whom had continued to silently converse with Jazz. The mech was writhing in Ratchet's arms, fighting his grip, the mech's head whipping backwards against one broad shoulder, visor lifted, pale blue optics staring upwards.

"Release it!" Ratchet was fighting against First Aid's grip on the stasis sphere, doing everything he could to pry the empathic mech's hands away from the object and let it slide to the carpeted floor to one side of them. "Love, release it!"

The sound increased, horror and terror mixed together, the medic's body thrashing.

"Arcee!" Ratchet snapped almost viciously at the femme the moment she appeared, her weapon raised slightly, clearly uncertain what was going on. "Here, **now**!"

Fowler could only watch on as both holoforms who had been about to question him evaporated into nothingness, both large mechs were charging forwards, weapons at the ready as they took up positions on either side of Ratchet and First Aid, using their larger frame as a barricade against any enemy who might strike.

Arcee was on her knees before First Aid, her hands prying at the medic's desperate to free him and protect the wildly panicking spark. Finally managing to pull it free, she found her own wrist being clamped by a surprisingly strong grip, her vivid blue optics meeting those of the Protectobot. In that pale gaze she saw… something she could not explain… something akin to true understanding of all that she had ever experienced.

"MECH."

All of the Autobots froze at the single word that escaped First Aid.

"_Trap_."

"How do you know, First Aid?" Optimus was glancing slightly down at the now silent medic, his expression deeply troubled and concern flickering across his face. "What kind of trap?"

"Jazz… they… hurt him… didn't understand what he was… used him as bait…" Beautiful blue optics gazed up at Optimus with horror. "They knew I would be here… they knew I would… They found part of the Ark… it crashed." His words were jumbled, his body soon being pulled in even closer to Ratchet's protectively, the larger medic soon swamping his lover's processors with warmth and security, pushing out the memory files that didn't belong to him. In that, he also had access to what his bondmate had seen.

"There was a MECH agent at the meeting between First Aid and the President, it was that agent that had previously presented them with the stasis sphere suggesting for them to 'return' it to First Aid as a show of mutual trust." Ratchet's optical ridges pressed together beneath his chevron, trying desperately to sort out everything he was receiving from the overwhelmed medic. Sweeping him up into his arms, he was soon on his pedes, tucking his bondmate in close to him. "Jazz recognised the human as being one of those who watched his… 'examination'. We need to retreat Optimus, Jazz doesn't know what they were planning to do…"

Optimus's jaw clenched sharply, nodding before he was touching a hand to the side of his helm and already calling for a GroundBridge, when the first explosion tore into the side of the building sending debris raining down across the Autobots within.

Fire roared around them all, brilliant bursts of crimson and scarlet flame tearing upwards through the space, turning the place into an instant inferno. Smoke filled the air instantly, black clouds billowing outwards through the shattered windows, glass rained down across their bodies as second explosion tear through the space.

The sound this time was deafening, clapping like thunder, rolling and bouncing through the space, growing steadily louder.

Arcee stumbled, her arms cradling the spark and portable generator against her chassis as the ground seemed to roll beneath her pedes. Pain scorched through her side where flying shrapnel had pierced through armour and deep into sensitive internals, any fluid that leaked out instantly vaporised in the heat. A sharp crack reverberated from the ceiling overhead and just as her head lifted, optics practically leaking from the acrid smoke stinging them, she saw a large chuck of steel and masonry plunging down towards her…

"ARCEE!" A cry of her name resounded through the chaos of raining explosions that pummelled the building, trapping the Autobots inside.

A bright red frame abruptly appeared out of the flames and slammed so hard into the blue femme that the two Cybertronians went spinning and skidding across the floor, just as the ceiling collapsed down where the femme had been standing only moments before. It would have crushed her and extinguishing her spark by driving twisted bars of steel through her frame, which had instead impaled the smouldering floor. Firestar coiled herself around Arcee, hand shoving the smaller femme's helm against her throat as they continued to roll and be pelted by falling debris, shielding her and Jazz from the worst of the destruction washing over the space around them.

"Tailgate! Shoot them down!" Firestar shouted over the howl of the inferno, racing through their surrounding, consuming everything in its path.

Arcee was shaking so hard, her denta clicked together, while she lay there on her back beneath the warmth of Firestar's body, feeling every inch of the powerful frame against her own, protecting her. Yet, it was the name that came out of the femme's lips that had her blue optics widening and a choked sound escaping her as her head turned enough to see a familiar white and maroon mech step through the smoke one side of them, a long range laser rifle raised and firing out through the ragged hole in the side of the building. Blasts of powerful energy slammed into the first of the helicopter's visible through the gap, sending it dropping to the ground in a twisted smoking ruin, the impact sending vibrations out through the ground beneath her.

A familiar swirling green vortex appeared to one side of her, and she felt herself being lifted over one strong shoulder, the shapes of her teammates were dark against the ceiling high banks of flame.

"RETREAT!"

Her gaze however was fixed on one of the two mechs who was covering their retreat, the mech backing up step by step as he continued to fire and guard their flank beside Ironhide. Optimus was carrying a singed Agent Fowler and guarding the two medics as they slipped through the GroundBridge.

A hand reached out as she too was being carried to safety, stretching out towards a mech she had been certain was offline. "Tailgate!"

And for one moment time seemed to stop for her, when the mech's helm twisted enough at the sound of his name for their optics to meet and instantly froze Arcee's spark in her chassis seeing the familiar face of her former partner brought back to life.

* * *

><p><strong>Yep! Arcee gets to have a scene when she finally gets to confront Tailgate who is... ALIVE! LOL I hope you guys liked it. I wonder if I should write a flashback for a night that Prowl might have actually pounced Jazz in the berth... I'm sure they couldn't have gone for as long as they did without doing it at least once. What do you think?<strong>


	3. Part 3: Divide

**Author's Note: I rather enjoyed this chapter XD and it DOES have the promised JazzXProwl scene XD, also of note is that I've used the first part of what was meant to be 'Flame Ever Burning' in this chapter as I thought it added to a few parts of it, it has had a few things added to it as well. XD **

**Disclaimer: Own nothing? XD **

* * *

><p><strong>Prowl's Apartment, Iacon, Cybertron [Past]<strong>

_"Dear… _Primus_…" Prowl groaned as every part of his frame trembled slightly with… exhaustion? Vivid golden optics slowly drifted open to find that not only wasn't he alone on his berth, but his arms were full of a warm weight that had snuggled back against him trustingly. Logic circuits froze for a moment, his lips parting and he inhaled sharply, senses being filled with the heated sweetness of the mech just there in his grasp. _

_A sleepy sigh of happiness escaped Prowl's berthmate, muscle cables contracting as the mech shifted, making sure that the black and white enforcer was desperately aware of where his spike was. A tight, slick warmth coiled around him completely, sheathing him easily and… his fingers twitched, curling around stirring components that twitched in response to his squeeze. The action earned him another delighted little squirm backwards and another erotic little sigh of happiness. _

_What had happened?_

_Memory files flittered through his mind, patchy and filled with moments of static before he recalled exactly what had occurred the night before. Prowl had been smashed like a crystal meeting carbonised steel. He had been the one to pursue the elegant beauty whom had caught and held his attention the entire night at the club he had been practically forced into going to by several of his fellow enforcers. His servos had ended up all over the beautiful mech, stroking and he had danced. Doorwings twitched in distress. He had danced and… it had been dirty. _

_A hand suddenly curled around the back of his own larger one where it was coiled around the mech's spike, a thumb brushing across his knuckles in a sweet little caress that almost had him smiling at the intimacy of it. The reaction was immediately cut off as he attempted to drag his spark back into line with his thoughts. _

_"Ah have ta admit… yah surprised me." _

_Prowl's spark melted helplessly at the sound of that music voice, the accent charming him as it had the night before, his head dropped forwards and he dropped a kiss against the nape of the mech's neck. Shuttering his optics, he was desperate to regain some semblance of his normal control, but he was not going to be able to. How long had he denied his body what it had craved? "Surprised you how?" _

_"Yahr… passion." _

_Now that made his optical ridges lift upwards, surprise flickering through his expression, he didn't manage to answer only being able to swallow around the lump in his vocals. _

_"Yah regrettin' last night?" There was actually hesitation in the mech's tone, the beautiful white, red and black bot curled into his arms. "Yah… disappointed?" _

_"No." Prowl was honest about that much. His face nuzzling in against the back of the mech's helm, grip tightening just a little around the mech in his arms. _

_A rush of air escaped the mech's vents, Jazz relaxing into the rather awkward embrace. "Ah… liked it." Fingertips played across the back of Prowl's hand, before lacing their fingers together, though Prowl's hand was stiff and awkward within the grasp of his berthmate. "Yah… Prowler…" _

Prowler?_ His lips quirked almost imperceptibly at the nickname, finding for some reason he rather liked it. "I am not looking for a relationship, but… I would not mind a berthmate." It was logical wasn't it to keep something that worked? Rolling the mech, he ended up on his hands and knees over the beautiful mech whom sprawled out beneath him, hands resting on either side of his pretty face on the pillow. _Mine._ A part of him screamed the word as the pair of pretty blue optics gazed up at him with desire, lips clearly having been kissed all night and were damp and inviting. _

_"Ah think Ah can live with dat." Jazz's lips twitched upwards, glossa sliding slowly against the lower one, tasting Prowl still on them. Legs coiled around the back of Prowl's thighs, tugging him forwards and impaling himself deeply with the enforcer's spike that was still within him. Back arching, his head rolled back, mouth parting on a pleasured groan. "Yah know… Ah don't share." _

_"Good. Neither do I."_

* * *

><p><strong>The Autobot Base, Nevada, Earth<strong>

"Ratchet… let me go." First Aid was struggling within his bondmate's grip, his expression determined as he squirmed and finally managed to tuck the arm that had restrained him and he shot forwards, immediately beside where Agent Fowler had been settled onto a human size medical bed. His head twisted back and he caught Ratchet's moment of hesitation before the mech finally nodded once and was already pouncing on any bot who had returned injured and to get Jazz's stasis sphere connected up to the base's power supply.

First Aid dropped down to curl against one wall, arms wrapping around his knees as he shut down his own frame completely, focusing all of his consciousness and sensations into his holoform. The pretty blonde was soon carrying the medical kit from where it had been stored for human patients, scans been quickly run over the length of the human's body, taking in the lung damage and burns that radiated out across one side of the man's form.

A message had already been sent out to June Darby requesting her presence for the human's care.

Suddenly the dark haired Jack was at one of the blonde's elbows, his stormy grey-blue eyes widening at the sight of the chaos that filled the room around them. "What can I do?" The boy's face was pale and his expression marred by the faint lines of exhaustion and lack of sleep.

"Hands here." Aid's own tugged the boy's upwards and pressed them down against one of the shrapnel wounds that was leaking red fluids profusely into the bandages applied. "Apply pressure." Pale blue eyes glimmered with worry and soul deep concern as he leaned over the human's face, a hand reaching out to lightly touch against the undamaged side of the Agent's face, turning it towards him. "Fowler?"

Brown eyes flickered open, the man's lips attempting to move… to say something… It took a moment for the blonde holoform to actually make out the few words whispered soundlessly to him. "I… never… betray… bots."

"I know." First Aid reassured him softly, before lifting the modified regenerator out of his foam bedding and held it against the man's largest wound, running the soft blue light across the split skin. "You never need to tell me that, Agent Fowler. I have both faith and trust in you." Blue eyes glimmered with pain at seeing his human friend so injured. "I know you would never betray us."

"You're… a good… man."

A sharp emotion sliced through his spark at that, seeing the glimmer of friendship and trust in those dark brown eyes, he swallowed back a sob that wanted to escape him. It was the one thing that always tore at his spark, seeing those he cared about harmed like that. "You will be alright… I detect no permanent damage to your internal structures…" An IV was slipped into the human's wrist and tapped into place, the fluid slowly dripping into his veins, dulling his pain and keeping up his blood pressure.

Suddenly alarms when wild… First Aid glancing up from his efforts to repair the human to see the alerts warning of Jazz's spark beginning to fade within its sphere, despite the stasis field that was being applied. "Jack, keep running this over his injuries, keep pressure on that one…" He was giving the boy instructions, knowing that Ratchet was needed with the other Autobots. The boy knew his way around the medical bay, because it had only been just over an orn since he had been here healing from his own wounds in this very place.

The Protectobot was already on his pedes, rushing forwards towards his medbay, already working as the others were finally being tended to…

* * *

><p><strong>Forest, Earth, [Two Weeks Previously]<strong>

_Foliage whipped at her face, stinging optics as she ran, ducking tree branches and through the thick tangle of vines that coiled around her body whenever she plunged off another gully-cut hillside. Fear was like a living thing within her spark, so cold that it left her limbs actually wanting to physically freeze in place from it. Jack. She had already lost so many… Would her human friend be lost to the curse that seemed to cling to her? _

_It was her fault. All of it was her fault. Jack had for once followed her through the GroundBridge and into the night-drenched forest beyond. Arcee had been searching every waking moment for the entry way into Sheriki, into the Pits that had somehow connected to Earth. Ironhide had only been able to give a short description of the place he had come out of, the mech's memory files corrupted by Mindwipe's influence and the sedatives that had been forced into his systems. Arcee didn't even know if his memory could be trusted… _

_Was she chasing after shadows? _

_Airachnid had found Jack. The Decepticon femme having followed Arcee's signal and found the boy as he trailed along behind her, attempting to keep out of sight and keep an eye on her. Now here she was following the Decepticon's signal, knowing that it would be her death she walked into. Her fault. Spark clenching, she could already see June Darby's expression and rage that Arcee had failed to protect her son like she had promised. _

_Why did she fail them all? _

_Pedes sliding on the damp ground, she dropped into a gully, the sounds of Airachnid's malicious laughter filled the air, echoing along the steep sided creek bed. She knew that voice, everything within her stilling as she slowly followed the length of the stream, water lapping around her pedes, though she was desperately trying to quiet her steps. _

_"Release the organic." _

_Arcee stilled at the sound of a commanding feminine voice, her body pressed against the thick grove of trees, blue optics taking in the scene before her, swallowing a surprised word of shock. There facing off against Airachnid was a beautiful femme, standing at least at least two heads taller than Airachnid, armour a blazing red with golden trim. Optics an intense almost crackling shade of green pinned the Decepticon femme in place, not flinching or showing any fear at all of the spider. _

_"Well now… if it isn't the lost little Flame." Airachnid however was for once backing up, her optics scanning the surroundings clearly looking for an escape and making sure she could make it from her position. "How have the mechs been treating you?" _

_A growl full of venom and spark burning rage escaped Firestar, but the femme was not about to let the taunt goad her into action, no matter how much Airachnid loved the feeling of control and of the sting of her words. However, the sparks of emotion were banked in her green optics as she straightened, features slowly beginning to calm. "Do you like being the prey, Aether?" _

_Now it was the Decepticon's turn to bare fangs for a moment, several legs actually twitching with the sound of her original name. _

_"I had hoped that the crash would finally do away with you." Knuckles tapped together lightly, the guards showing long scratches across them, showing that Firestar was definitely one for up and personal and would not stop for anything. "But I see I have to go about this the old fashioned way." Fingers flexed, lips quirked upwards at the corners, green optics darkening to a rich emerald. _

_Fear however coiled in Arcee's tanks, like a thousand tiny insects crawling around inside of her, cold seeping deeply into her systems. Airachnid was not going to release Jack, the boy was sprawled out on the ground just behind her, limp, but still breathing, limbs bound tightly in webbing. _

_"How many was it?" Airachnid was twitching, violet optics narrowing and clearly wanting to keep the femme talking. "How many mechs had you?" _

_Optics widened as blue optics settled on the brilliant crimson femme, knowing that what she was hearing was something that few knew. Firestar was renowned for her intense dislike of mechs, she had been Elita One's second, a femme who took the job of protecting every femme in her ranks from every and any source of abuse from the larger male forces. She hadn't know the reason why the femme had been so fierce about her duties, but… she did now. _

_"You can't stand to let them touch you, afraid…" The Decepticon licked her lips, pressing all the buttons she could to avoid a physical confrontation. "Oh, I can taste your fear, so sweet. Maybe I should bring you back to Megatron… I'm certain a femme as feisty as you will please him to no end." _

_"You will burn." Muscle cables tensed, Firestar ready to spring. _

_And a single word flashed across Arcee's processors. _

'NOW!'

_Firestar charged, her frame sweeping in low, blocking the slashing strikes of the long legs, and drove upwards, back slamming against the Decepticon's belly, throwing her hard to the side. Sweeping around with the agility of a born fighter, the femme's fist connected hard with Airachnid's jaw, knocking back and away from Jack. It was just enough of a distraction for Arcee to dash across the space, her arms catching up the boy, cradling him to her chassis. _

_"RUN!" The Autobot femme shouted at Arcee, pouncing on the Decepticon once more as she attempted to scramble upright. _

_However, Arcee couldn't help but hesitate, her blue optics focusing on the femme who had willingly put herself into danger in an attempt rescue her human partner. The thought of abandoning Firestar was abhorrent, even though she knew she needed to get Jack to safety, her spark screamed at her to stay. _

_A wave of webbing was being slung towards Arcee, when Firestar got in the way, taking the blast full in the side and it slammed her up against a tree, pinning her. However, it was quickly beginning to disintegrate in response to the fine mist of chemicals that exploded into the air, the fibres of webbing beginning to completely unravel, almost seeming to wither. _

_Finally Arcee did turn, fighting against every instinct and personality subroutine to make herself do so. Her pedes took in the familiar terrain, moving swiftly through the trees, knowing that she needed to get to a clear vantage point to be able to gain radio contact with Autobot Base. She needed backup and she needed it right then. _

_The scamper of legs on the ground and trees behind her, sent skitters of terror flaring through her, her blue optics shuttering tightly for a moment against the wave of memory files clawing to get out. _

_The sounds of battle were fierce behind her, wood splintered and plasma shells detonated with a resounding boom. The damp wood smoked, sending black plumes high into the night sky and cutting visibility as the forest began to crackle and burn in places. _

'Arcee to base!'_ Her first call was answered by bursts of painful static, the clearness of the connection cutting in and out, before dropping back into another burst of static. _'Arcee to base!'

_Suddenly the trees gave abruptly to road, spilling her out across it. Jack was still a limp weight in her arms, she didn't know whether she could risk him in her alt mode with her holoform… one accident and he could easily die. Another deafening explosion rocked the forested hills, a brilliant red femme rolling out from a cloud of smoke and debris, grinning from audio to audio. _

_Green optics paused on Arcee, gaze dropping to Jack before she was instantly moving forwards, transforming into the sleek red sports car Arcee had glimpsed before. The passenger door opening. "Put him in." _

_Hesitating only a moment, she slashed the webbing holding Jack's arms down and carefully slipped the human into the seat, the belt instantly coiling around his body and clicking into place, holding him protectively. Jack's head lulled forwards, chin touching his chest, dark bruises starting to form across his skin from where Airachnid had held him far too tightly. _

_There was a furious scream from somewhere behind them, Airachnid stumbling out onto the road, two of her legs broken and hanging limply from where they had literally been snapped half off. Violet optics scorching them both, she was coming after them with every intent of gutting them. _

_Firestar's engine hummed as she took off along the road, pouring on speed and accelerating hard, Arcee right beside her, the two swerving the blasts. The blue femme was returning fire, covering their rapid retreat, knowing that this was not a battle to be fought and won with Jack so injured. Arcee was grateful for the femme's presence, admitting privately to herself that it felt good to have… the thought was shut down so quickly she swallowed around the half processed energon that wanted to rise back up in her throat tubing. Jack was her partner. _

_The roar of engines filled the air as several Vehicons raced along the road behind them, half a dozen at least, clearly coming as backup for Airachnid, whom had followed on foot, unable to fly because of her damaged limbs and chassis damaged Firestar had inflicted. _

'Got a signal.'_ Firestar called to Arcee, the crimson femme ramping up her broadcasting power by drawing energy from her weapons systems as Arcee covered her. _'Patching in your frequency.'

_Arcee continued to fire back at the Decepticons, before glancing towards Firestar. _'Arcee to base, I need a GroundBridge. We are under heavy fire and Jack needs medical attention.'_ The message was fed out through Firestar's communications systems, her security coding confirming her identity and hopefully making it through to Autobot Base. _

'Acknowledged.'

_Both of them almost seemed to sigh together in relief as the green vortex of the GroundBridge swirled immediately ahead of them, and four mechs emerged from the entry way. Ironhide was in the lead, Optimus right behind him, the two mechs moving together as if they had been forged that way, neither needing to speak a word as they tackled the first pair of Vehicons on the femmes' tails. _

_Ratchet practically snarled at the enemies as his carrying bondmate First Aid rushed towards Firestar, the femme transforming and offering the boy out to the smaller of the pair. The Protectobot was soon working over the boy, having picked up a considerable amount of knowledge about human biology and medicine from time spent at the local hospital. Arcee stood beside Ratchet, ready to protect Jack with her life if need be. She would not fail in this, she would not fail her human partner. Not again… not like she had Tailgate and then Cliffjumper._

_The sound of a helicopter rotors made Arcee look up to see Airachnid retreating at the arrival of so many Autobots. A cry almost escaped Arcee, when Firestar launched herself after the Decepticon, knocking the femme from the sky and into the trees. The brilliant red femme vanished into the darkness, the sounds of fighting growing more distant with each passing moment. Her scanners were desperately trying to locate the femme, but could not locate her and a sense of panic swept through her. _

'Firestar, retreat!' _Nothing but static answered her, and the soft hiss and thunk of several bullets finding their marks within the helms of the remaining Vehicons, their source something none of the bots could work out. The buzzing crackle of the static made her entire spark ache. And soon they were being forced into retreat, the Autobot femme vanishing as quickly as she had come. Leaving Arcee screaming inside that another might just be killed because she had failed in her duty to guard her back. And in her spark she desperately hoped that she would see the femme again._

* * *

><p><strong>The Autobot Base, Nevada, Earth<strong>

"Tailgate." His name escaped her lips before she could stop it, blue optics taking in the mech before him with both a spark-deep shock and a desperate hope. Everything about him was familiar, the slight swagger to his movements, his intense blue-green optics and the set of the rifle across his back, but there was a significant difference between her once jovial partner and the battle hardened and scarred bot before her.

Those optics suddenly turned towards her, surprise flashing through their depths as recognition flashed through his facial features. "Arcee?"

"You're… you're alive…?" Every inch of her body was shaking as she rested in Firestar's strong arms, trembling with the force of the emotions storming around within her spark, hope, relief, joy… pain… confusion… "How… how can this be?"

His back straightened, confusion glittering in his oceanic gaze, before it lifted to Firestar's face, his expression softening. "Another team swept the facility after Delta Team had pulled out, they had been sent in to light the place up… I was lucky enough that Firestar found me. I was…"

A shimmering tear suddenly streaked down one cheekplate as Arcee realised what had happened that day she had been rescued from the hands of Airachnid. A wordless sound of agony escaped her, blue optics wide and staring with horror and guilt at the mech who had been left behind to leak out over the floor, abandoned by his own people. "_No_…" A shudder ran through the length of her body, one tear was followed by a second, streaking down across her cheekplates to drip onto the floor. The only reason she had remained upright was because Firestar was holding her, warm arms cradling her close against a strong body, soothing and easing her spark. "No… _please_…"

"Tailgate, go assist the others." Firestar's voice was gentle, her vibrant green optics softened as she carefully dropped to one knee joint, Arcee turned in her grip, the femme being tucked in close to her. "Let me handle this."

"Yes, Commander." He was reluctant to follow that order, but he nodded once the moment he caught the glint of something in Firestar's optics and silently stepped away, hurrying to assist Bulkhead and Ratchet in tending to Optimus and Ironhide who had taken a boat load of shrapnel during the explosions at the White House. Though he did glance back towards Arcee, knowing that there would be a very intense situation there… something left unresolved for now while others needed him more.

"Arcee." A servo lifted to carefully cup the femme's cheekplate against one palm, thumb sweeping away the tears that were trailing down across her facial plates. Their optics met for one long moment, compassion and a deep understanding was reflected in Firestar's gaze. Head dipping in so their foreheads touched lightly, the heated air from their ventilation systems mingled intimately. "You are not alone."

"I…"

"Shhh." A finger lightly brushed across Arcee's lips, before she was lifted upwards, her helm resting against one of Firestar's shoulder's, her face pressed into the warmth of Firestar's throat. "Rest."

And Arcee was surprised when she couldn't resist the order, her optics slowly beginning to shutter as she relaxed into the safety given to her by the older femme. "Don't leave me again…"

"I swear to you I won't."

Carefully Arcee was being settled onto the medical berth, her slender form being stretched out by gentle hands as a palm brushed over the heat sealed wound in the femme's side. "Ratchet." Firestar's head turned when the medic actually appeared at her elbow, already running a scan of the now unconscious femme. It was only then that Firestar became aware of the hand that was curled around her own, slender fingers entwined with hers preventing her from moving away from the medical berth.

"Firestar."

The femme's head lifted immediately at the sound of her name, her back stiffening at the Prime who stood before her, her spark was pulsing hard and fast, the crimson femme actually backing up just enough to move away from the male Cybertronian, her hip bumped against the edge of the medical berth. Her jaw clenched and she attempted to push back the sparks of discomfort she felt around any of the opposite gender.

"It is good to see you again, though I must admit to being surprised at your presence here on Earth… is Elita One here also?"

Now that brought a rather irritated scowl to Ironhide's face, the powerful mech hovering just to one side of the battered Prime, his dark blue optics burning with dislike. Elita One had been at one point had attempted to be a contender for Optimus Prime's love and spark, but had learned quite quickly that she would never be able to compete with Ironhide, but that didn't stop the massive warrior from being extremely hostile towards the femme Autobot Leader.

"No, but it was Elita who sent me to find you, she heard rumours that you were on Earth…" Though her jaw clenched slightly, she shrugged her shoulders, expression not giving away anything. "I was also sent to track down the Ark. I was given my orders, I am sorry that I did not announce myself or my team's presence on Earth." A glance was shot towards Tailgate making sure that the sniper was well. "But I was uncertain of the current situation and wanted to gather more intelligence before contact. I had caught several surveillance groups followed some of your team… and also picked up Jazz's presence… I've been tracking him down with Tailgate for the last orn."

"There are others?" Optimus Prime actually looked encouraged by the news, his shoulders lifting and he reached out to lightly grasp Firestar's shoulder in welcome when the moment his palm touched her crimson armour her fist shot out lightning fast, almost connecting with the Prime's jaw if Ironhide hadn't caught it in time.

Firestar's body was practically vibrating with emotion, her green optics blazing emerald flames in warning, though she was fighting to gain back her hand which Ironhide would not realise. Abruptly Tailgate was behind Ironhide, the muzzle of his rifle pressed squarely beneath the edge of the warrior's helm, finger on the trigger and quite ready to squeeze it off if Ironhide so much as twitched.

"You touch her again and I'll blow your slagging head off." The mech growled out, his expression a mask of raw fury, green-blue optics blazing. "You get me?"

Ironhide released Firestar's hand and both he and Optimus backed off as Tailgate shifted in to protect both Arcee and Firestar, his rifle lifted in warning.

"I apologise." Optimus was quite shocked by the reaction, but his blue optics showed his silent apology for touching on something that clearly troubled the strikingly beautiful femme.

"For now… its perhaps best if you did not know about the rest of my team." Her chin jerked towards Fowler. "I would not want to place them in any more danger than they already are."

"As you will." But silently the Prime hoped that Firestar would come to trust him enough to tell him what was truly going on, because in his spark he knew there was far more to this than had been spoken.

* * *

><p><strong>The Ark, Deep Space [Past]<strong>

_Limbs trembled with the force of the pleasure surging white hot through his entire body, his back arched, head thrown back as he was taken again and again, Prowl practically sliding all the way out of him before plunging to the hilt within his valve. A cry escaped him as the hand that was down between his legs lifted upwards, wrist against his thigh forcing his thighs further apart and allowing the mech to push so far in that he thought he would explode from the force of it all. _

_Fingers curled desperately into the fabric beneath him, his cheekplate pressed against the pillow as he rested on elbows and knees, aft in the air and Prowl curled across his back their frames sliding together in an erotic dance that Jazz had never experienced with another. That hand was stroking and gliding over the length of his spike, fingers sweeping across the underside, rubbing back and forth, the edge of that though circling over the head, applying just the right amount of pressure to keep it twitching and jerking in his grip. _

_"I hunger to taste you again…" Prowl's voice was a low seductive rasp against Jazz's audio, mouth sliding over sensitive audios and actually humming softly, the vibration setting Jazz's entire body alight. "Do you remember me licking you…" A sexy little smirk crossed Prowl's strikingly handsome features, his golden optics molten with smouldering desire to consume every inch of Jazz until he was screaming once more beneath him. "Circling slowly…" Hips rocking in a slow circular motion as if to punctuate his words, Jazz whimpered in response, sweetspot being caressed until it was practically throbbing with the heat of it all. _

_"Ah… can't…" He breathed, lips parting and feeling a fingertip sliding against them, before he was capturing them and desperately sucking on them, tasting himself on the digits as he quivered with the intensity of the interface. "… _Can't_…" _

_"You will." Prowl's thrusts deepened, claiming every inch of that tight passage and growling when Jazz began to tremble again, coming closer and closer to the edge of release. "You will or I'll do it for you." _

_Jazz almost howled in frustration as he found himself suddenly on his back, legs hooked over broad shoulders, vivid golden optics gazing down at him with an intensity that ways almost frightening. He was spread for his lover, exposed and helpless as his hands desperately reached out to touch those quivering doorwings, but found his wrists caught in one large hand for a moment, before… A whimper escaped Jazz as cool metal suddenly clicked into place around his wrists, holding them practically over his head allowing Prowl to use both hands on his lover. _

_One curled tightly around the base of the mech's spike, physically preventing him from overloading. His thrusts deep and long, rubbed against the walls of the mech's slick passage and sweetspot, making him squirm and literally beg for Prowl to release him. Head thrashing, he fought against the cuffs, ankles pressing down against Prowl's shoulders, the edge of his pedes rubbing back and forth against the top side of those doorwings, hearing Prowl growl in response to the touch. _

_It seemed to go on forever, each new penetration making Jazz even more sensitive to the spike's intrusion within his valve, his body arching and writhing against the grip of those hands and the force of Prowl's will. And only when he was practically about to weep for his need to release, the fingers tripping his spike loosened and began to jerk him off hard and fast. _

_Jazz exploded, body arching and trembling with the force of the overload that washed him away. He was screaming with the force of his pleasure, his fingers curling together and he felt Prowl finally release deep within him, sending him into another even more powerful overload, valve clamping down painfully tight around that spike, the hot fluids searing him from the inside out, claiming him forever as Prowl's. _

_For long minutes, he trembled, barely aware of anything but the soft undecipherable whisper of what sounded like words against his audio, a mouth stroking across his own as he was spooned up against Prowl's body. Lips caressed the side of Jazz's throat as he settled, still remaining within the mech as their systems desperately attempted to cool them. _

_And it was in that quiet moment that Prowl felt the dampness trickle down against his fingertips and in the silence of his quarters, he knew… Jazz wept, the mech sheltered in Prowl's arms, but trembling ever so slightly. He didn't speak a word, not acknowledging those tears for he knew Jazz would hide them the moment he realised Prowl was aware of them. He could not give Jazz what he longed for… even though… his spark screamed out in anguish at causing those tears, he could not give into what lurked between them. Acknowledging it would mean… the day his lover finally tired of his emotional coldness he would leave him shattered. He could not… acknowledge… his love for the mech in his arms. War was all around them… so many died every orn… acknowledgement meant accepting what he felt and if he lost Jazz he knew he would not be to survive. _

_In the long minutes afterwards, they curled together, Jazz seemly convinced that Prowl had drifted into recharge. _

_"Why?" The mech's voice broke on a sob. "Why… am Ah… not 'nough?" _

_And Prowl's optics shuttered tightly, feeling a single stray tear streak down his cheekplate at the utter desolation in his beloved's voice._

* * *

><p><strong>The Ark, Earth<strong>

Fingers twitched.

The body lay stretched across shattered panels, his white paintwork charred black by the intensity of the fire that had consumed the entire ship so long ago. The slightest shift sent the mech crashing to the floor on his belly, a soft sound of pain gurgling up from within the mech's vocals. Golden optics slowly began to flicker online, sparking just a little, his entire frame screamed with agony as his twisted legs refused to respond to any command he gave them.

Slowly his helm tipped towards the jagged edge of where he had been thrown from on impact. One hand stretched out towards it, fingers clawing at the distorted plating beneath him… inch by inch he was dragging himself across the space, his head lifted just to stare into that dark gap.

"…Ja…zz…" The mech rasped.

A long smear of fluid stained the sharp metal beneath him as he pushed himself into reaching his beloved, unaware of the passage of so much time… or the fact that mere metres away, a loud drilling was sounding… shouts in a language he had never heard before… That someone might soon discover the stasis locked crew of the Ark just rip for the pickings.

All he could think of was reaching his beloved and keeping his promise to never again leave him. Prowl would not give up until he could once more touch that beloved spark.

* * *

><p><strong>XD now that was intense. Hope you guys like it^^ anything you want to see in the next chapter? <strong>


	4. Part 4: Direction

**Author's Note: I think this turned out rather well. Plenty of fluff. Dedicated to Spatz who asked for a little more IronhideXOptimus and ended up getting a lot more than I thought possible XD **

**Disclaimer: Own nothing! **

* * *

><p><strong>Hall Of Records, Iacon, Cybertron [Past]<strong>

_There were several startled gasps from those around Orion Pax, his pale blue optics lifted from the screen and glanced up his gaze immediate caught on the sight of the massive black and crimson warrior who was moving through the open space towards him. Many pairs of optics followed his progress, several looking at him with more than just a passing interest, lingering on the best aspects of the massive mech's frame. Heat flushed through him at the sight of his lover, his body immediately warming in places and almost making him squirm with desire. _

_Turning his chair all the way around, he lifted both hands upwards, his blue optics sparking with delight and joy as large servos caught his own, drawing him upwards from the cramped space and into Ironhide's arms. His head tipped upwards and he was being practically devoured where he stood, mouth being claimed and his servos curled up across his lover's back and smoothed across it, holding him close. The taste of the mech was exquisite, sweet and tinged with something else that made him stand on the tips of his pedes to deepen the contact and allow his glossa to slip into his lover's mouth._

_Fingertips tailing across hot metal, his palms pressed against the back of his lover's helm, desperate not to break the heated kiss, his frame fitting so easily into Ironhide's arms. It was only reluctantly that he pulled away, his body pressing eagerly against his lover's, his cheekplate resting against one broad shoulder, feeling the strong arms close around him, cradling him close. Letting out a happy sigh, Orion Pax knew nothing but delight at finally having his beloved back. _

_"I didn't think… you would bother coming here…" _

_"I would have gone anywhere to find you the moment I landed and saw my troops settled." Navy optics narrowed on the wide optics of several of the other data clerks that had witnessed their reunion. One scowl from Ironhide had each and everyone of them turning back to their work quickly, the sounds of the space starting up again. "Have you missed me, my pretty Spark?" Ironhide's head dipped and his lips brushed across his lover's antenna lightly, glossa sliding along the length of it and denta nipped down on the tip making his lover squirm in response to the erotic touch. _

_"More than I can ever say, I have missed you every astrosecond." Orion Pax was forced to stifle a whimpering moan as he felt his lover's reaction to his closeness. "I long to be able to go with you." Even if that meant going into battle, he would willingly do so if it meant he could remain by Ironhide's side and watch his back. A part of Orion had wondered what it would be like to be one of the warrior caste and be able to protect Cybertron. _

_"How long until your shift is complete?" _

_"A few more joors." He whispered with the sigh, rubbing his cheekplate against one broad shoulder. _

_"I'll stay then." _

_Blue eyes widened with surprise and utter delight. "You… you won't get into any trouble will you?" _

_"Me?" Ironhide's lips quirked, before dropping a soft kiss against the top of Orion's helm, hugging him close again for a moment. "Never." _

_Much to the mech's shock, the moment he dropped into his chair once more, settling himself before the screens his long legs tucked up almost painfully beneath the desk, a weight abruptly pressed against the edge of the chair and a warm weight settled into his lap. His optics glanced down and found Ironhide's helm resting against one thigh, the massive mech having stretched himself out on the floor, unaware of any kind of discomfort and hidden by the surrounding walls and banks of monitors. _

_Orion's free hand dropped to the dark helm and stroked over it softly, hearing the softest sound of relief escape Ironhide as dark optics shuttered, the mech relaxing. _

_"Hide?" _

_"You don't mind… do you?" The voice that answered him was surprisingly tired and sleepy. The large mech shifted closer, letting out something close to a purring growl as the mech's hand continued to stroke absently over the dark helm. "Couldn't recharge on the return trip… knowing… when I got back I could be with you again." His words were honest and spoken from the spark, something that Ironhide rarely did when it involved such personal thoughts. "I… was anxious to return to your side." _

_His spark froze within his chassis at the words, barely able to draw in a cool breath of air at the admission. Their relationship had always been… odd, especially since most mechs and femmes had relationships within their caste, but Ironhide had wanted him from the moment they had met and warmed his spark like no other could. "I've barely been able to recharge myself," He admitted softly. "I do not like recharging alone." _

_"Same…" One last shift of his weight and Ironhide was blissfully dropping into a deep recharge cycle, trusting that Orion Pax would protect him during those moments when he was vulnerable. _

_Such utter trust in him was always humbling. Ironhide was a hero to many on Cybertron, a mech who had proven himself again and again in battle and strategy, even the High Council themselves had noticed him. Yet here he was, with him in the Hall of Records, contented only when beside him. Love burned inside his chassis at that thought, happiness sliding through every circuit. "I love you." He whispered to his sleeping lover for the first time, allowing his fingers to rest against the dark helm, wanting that moment to last forever._

* * *

><p><strong>The Autobot Base, Nevada, Earth<strong>

Optimus Prime smiled slightly as he stretched out his legs on their large berth, his blue optics dropping to gaze at the massive frame curled against his side, the mech's helm resting in his lap. Palm stroking the dark helm, he let his head rest back against the wall, thanking Primus for the fact that he had been given back what he had desperately longed to have returned to him. "I love you." He whispered to the recharging mech, just trying to find some kind of happiness in the situation he found himself in.

"As I you, Orion." The sleepy murmur sent a heated tingle of air across the Prime's spike, making it begin to stir with desire.

Blue optics suddenly dropped until they were half lidded when that mouth slipped down over his spike without a sound, swallowing him from base to tip, glossa stroking along the underside as denta scrapped erotically up and down along its length. His hand rested against the back of that helm, encouraging him to continue, while he arched slightly, his legs shifting apart and one hand reached between his thighs and a fingertip brushed against his entrance lightly.

Ironhide worked that spike, nibbling around the head, the tip of his glossa coaxing several droplets of fluid from the now rock hard spike between his lips. The large mech hungered for the taste of his bondmate, never able to get enough of him now that they were reunited. Their emotions and physical pleasure was shared between them as two fingers slipped up into the Prime's valve and stretched him almost playfully. Fingertips caressed and applied pressure to the mech's sweetspot, making him gasp and arch, lips parting in a tiny little erotic moan.

It was a slow seduction, Ironhide taking his time on every inch of that spike, drawing more and more sounds from his lover as lubricant covered the fingers that were working the Prime's valve.

The bottom of his pedes pressed against the berth, Optimus letting out a cry of his lover's name as he came abruptly, his body emptying itself into the hot mouth that closed around him completely. Valve spasming, he arched and writhed, legs spread and offering himself up for Ironhide's pleasure. Stroked into a second overload, he gasped and squirmed helplessly against the waves of heat and pleasure that surged through every inch of his body.

Ironhide rolled beside his lover, licking his lips of the last traces of his companion's fluids, before settling back against the berth, fingers slowly sliding out of his lover's wet valve. His body was aroused, painfully so, but he made no demand on the Prime for more.

The moment strength returned to him, Optimus was eagerly swinging one leg over his lover's hips, a hand sliding between them and grasping the large spike in his palm, jerking hotly on it twice. Before dropping downwards, allowing his weight to carry him down onto that spike. His back arched as both palms dropped to rest on Ironhide's chassis, rolling his hips he slipped down even further and was practically seated on his lover's spike, impaled by it.

A smirk touched the corners of Ironhide's mouth as he just watched his lover ride him, that beautiful body shifting and arching, while his valve desperately attempted to milk him, squeezing tight. His large hands lifted, his fingertips brushing caresses over the beautiful face that was flushed with heat and pleasure. A thumb traced the length of the mech's damp lips, feeling a glossa sweep out across it, he smiled in response.

"I love seeing you smile like that at me." Blue optics sparkled with silent warmth and a love that sung loud and clear between them. Riding his lover, his body trembled with the slow slide of their plating together, the delicious friction tickling every sense he had. "I have missed your smile."

"You are the only one who has ever made me truly smile." Ironhide admitted, his palms sliding down the mech's sides, feeling the tickle of power that rippled deep within his bondmate, the Matrix responding to his presence. Sometimes he wondered if it was attempting to reach out to him, heal the damage that had been done to his mind. "I had no reason to smile before you were in my life."

Dipping his head, warm lips caressed Ironhide's tenderly, their glossas tangling for a moment, before his forehead touched his lover's. "Hold me." He pleaded softly.

And powerful arms coiled around Optimus Prime's back, drawing him down so that they were chassis to chassis, their sparks mere feet apart like that, his body blanketing the larger one. They were still rocking together, but it was a lazy motion, pleasure shuddering all the way through them, building slowly. The overload clashed over them both gently, like a warm wave sweeping up and over them, their voices mingling in the darkness before they curled together, their bodies entwined intimately.

It was a long time before Ironhide spoke, his voice husky with the want for recharge and the pleasure of still being within his bondmate. "What is to be done?"

"About… Firestar? Or the humans…? Megatron? The Ark? Jazz…?" Weary of the fact that a bundle of issues had been dropped right on top of their heads, he leaned into the comfort Ironhide provided, grateful that he was no longer along, it would no longer just be him. "I… I cannot think the humans would have attacked us like they did… injuring some of their own and Agent Fowler in the process… I owe him an apology for our…"

"He will understand. If not those humans… then which…? This MECH for have talked about? From what you have told me of them it does seem to be something they would do, though the boldness of their actions and the fact that they wished to utterly destroy all who came to First Aid's aide… It speaks of something far larger than what we realise. First Aid spoke as if it were MECH who had originally found Jazz, he said they had set a trap for us."

"But the fact they would return him to us… but it was the government officials who did so…"

Both fell silent at that, knowing that there was someone within the human ranks that was clearly either a member of MECH or at least on their payroll. It made the most sense.

"And what of Firestar? Does all she said ring true to you?" Optimus rubbed his cheekplate against his lover's shoulder, wishing that they had far more information than what was at hand. Bumblebee and Bulkhead were currently out on patrol hoping to pick up any transmissions or information about either the attack on the White House or anything else. "I just don't feel that Elita One would truly send her here to track down the Ark, Elita would not send _Firestar_, she is far too important to the femmes to risk in such a way. As much as Elita is a leader, Firestar is… the heart of her squad. Why would Elita not send a message to us over the fact that the Ark may be here on Earth?"

Ironhide could not honestly answer any of those questions or worries that Optimus had pointed out, though one mech did come to mind and it made him frown slightly. There was one mech who would be the most concerned about the Ark if it contained anything beyond the Autobot crew… the one who had first given Optimus Prime the idea to have the Ark built… Alpha Trion.

"Tell me." Optimus whispered softly, fingers stroking across Ironhide's side tenderly, feeling the thoughts buzzing around within his bondmate's processors but not tugging at them wanting Ironhide to trust him with his suspicions. "What is it you are considering, my Beloved?"

"There is only one I can think of whom would be this… Alpha Trion."

"What?" Optimus's head lifted in surprise at that, his gaze searching his bondmate's dark optics and found something there that shocked him to his core as he caught a flash of something that…

_"Do not dismiss this!" Ironhide growled, his voice echoing through the space, his jaw clenching as his dark navy optics burned with emotions. "Do not fragging dismiss him as being a 'possibility'. You cannot stand there and say you have not seen it within his optics, heard it when he speaks." _

_"Your opinion is noted, Warrior." _

_"Slag you." A fist suddenly gripped Alpha Trion by the front of his armour and dragged him across the space to practically shove him at the window that overlooked many parts of the Hall of Records. "I know what the frag you are, Child of Primus. I know about you, but I will not allow you to just sit back and 'record' this event. He needs a champion, Alpha Trion." His gaze flickered out and instantly fell on the broad shoulders of his beloved amongst the smaller bots, to where he was relegated to being nothing more than a glorified data processor. "I may have some sway amongst those of the warrior caste, but I cannot talk to the High Council, they will not hear me about Orion Pax." _

_"Things cannot be forced along the path they may not wish to travel." _

_"But you haven't even given him the option. He fights every day for those who are trapped by the system, I see the pain in his optics every time he sees such injustices, it tears at his spark. He has earned the right to at least be considered. I ask that you look again at what you would so easily dismiss." _

_"You speak with your emotions, Warrior." Alpha Trion however did look out that window, looking again at the tall crimson and blue mech whom walked with his spark burning brightly for their people. "But… I will consider your words and will… look again as you _suggest_." _

Optimus Prime froze while he gazed down at the mech stretched out beneath him, his hand reaching out to lightly touch a finger against his bondmate's cheekplate. "You… it was you who changed his mind. I wondered… why he did."

"Stubborn old lugnut had lost the will to do more than observe life pass him by."

"You… you _argued_ with Alpha Trion." Not even Optimus had ever quite dared to full out argue with the mech who had presented him to the High Council. "You are the reason…"

A large palm pressed against his bondmate's chassis, feeling the Matrix within almost heat at his presence, it touched him that it would almost attempt to reach out towards him in its own way. "Prime."

* * *

><p><strong>Mount St. Hilary, Oregon-Nevada Border, Earth<strong>

Silas considered the vast mountainside that sprawled out before him, his lips twisting slightly in amusement at the fact that it was MECH who had first picked up the faint energy signals that had begun after a small earthquake in the area. The mining equipment continued to tunnel into the vast expanse of the bare rock face, his fingertips rubbing lightly at his jaw again, contemplating what treasures might be within.

It irritated him that they had yet to capture a live specimen again and be able to take their time taking it apart piece by piece. All they had gotten so far was scraps and worthless trinkets… but this prize. A finger trailed up and down the scar lining one side of his face, feeling the rough ridge of skin beneath his fingertip, and felt the tingle all the way down to his soles that told him that if they did get into this mountain they would be finding such things that would put them on the map and remain there for a very long time.

His dark gaze turned towards the twitching man barely a few feet a way, his lip curling in disgust at the sweating, handwringing trash that had joined him. Gordon Harvard was a slimy little coward that made Silas want to plunge a knife into the man's belly and slit him from navel to chin and dispense with his simpering presence. Yet, even this worm had his uses and Silas would need to remain patient and bide his time under the man's usefulness ran out before giving into his private whim.

"How long?" He demanded of one of the diggers.

"A few more minutes, Sir." An evil little grin spread across his lips, though most of it was hidden by the face mask and hood that covered the man's head, hiding his identity and making him another one of the formless masses that moved around Silas.

"Good." And the ice blonde's lips quirked upwards, his plans finally beginning to come together.

* * *

><p>Breakdown rested against the rocks, his body pressed down against them and for once he had learned that patience was far more useful in the long run than just smashing everything in his path. His gaze immediately narrowed in on the scarred organic, jaw clenching with a blinding spark of fury, his fingers clenched into fists. A warmth actually settled against his shoulder, startling him as he glanced over his shoulder at Soundwave, surprised by the very slight contact that had been offered to him the reassurance it actually provided him.<p>

"Distraction?" Breakdown questioned softly, his optic glancing back into the hidden crimson optics of his companion, looking for his orders from the older mech. Gaze swinging back to the humans down there, feeling a brutal spark of rage surge through him at the fact that others might soon be in the hands of these brutal organics. Pain sparked in his empty socket, reminding him of not only the fact that he had been dissected… but also that none of the Decepticons gave a _scrap_ about him. It had been Bulkhead who had come after him, his spark jolted within his chassis at the thought of his former enemy.

"Yes." Soundwave responded as an agile black feline was already stalking the humans, body moving swiftly between the shadows and feeding data back to Soundwave. Ravage's tail twitched with anticipation of the kill, razor sharp claws unsheathed and leaving faint marks across the rocks it prowled across. "He is coming?"

A grim nod from Breakdown, remembering the comm call he had actually gotten through to Bulkhead, remembered the eagerness of the green mech to meet him in a final showdown between them. It was not that at all, but he would not risk such a call across frequencies that would no doubt be monitored. "He'll be here." Privately he had to admit he could already sense the former Wrecker coming in from the opposite side of the excavation pit.

A flash of green against the darkening sky reassured him that it was indeed Bulkhead who had come, the mech hovering behind the massive pillars of rock gazing down into the pit.

_'What is the meaning of this?' _

The sharp tone almost made Breakdown grin in relief, some part of him reassured by the Autobot's presence. _'Call it a little gift, Bulky.'_ The former Decepticon was already inching his way forwards, grateful that Soundwave was providing a full spectrum range of interference signals that would mask their presence. _'You feel up for a little bit of wreck'n'ruin?' _

_'You were never one for subterfuge.' _

_'And I'm not starting now.'_ Gold-amber met blue across the vast distance separating them and he made a choice that would forever change his life from that moment forwards. _'You were right.'_

Bulkhead scowled slightly, blue optics darkening with confusion.

_'I should have gone with you that day, not Starscream.'_

_'You ain't…' _

_'I am.' _A weight lifted off his chassis with those words, something filling his spark that surprised him. The emptiness that had so long been there was suddenly replaced by a sense of purpose and… _pride_. For once he wanted to be someone that mattered, someone who he could look at in a reflector and know had disappointed no one. _'Let this be my proof, Bulkhead, let my actions today speak for who I am at this moment.' _

_'Decepticon trick.' _

_'If you think that's what it is, I'll keep fighting for what is right whether it is with you or not. I will not be a part of something that sees atrocities being committed every moment of the day. I saw what they did to Ironhide… I…'_

Bulkhead froze at that, hearing the crack of the other mech's voice, sensing the pain and fear that lurked beneath the surface after what had been done to him. For all the suspicions he had, he would push them aside and allow the mech's actions to be judged on their own. Hadn't Optimus once said that even Decepticons had a spark within them that could make them change, that however unlikely… _'Let's rumble, Partner.'_

Bulkhead was startled by the words, hope flaring bright within him and a grin came to his lips. Giving the other mech the slightest nod, he pulled from subspace a small thermal explosive. Depressing the activation switch, he lobbed the grenade straight down into the centre of the human group just as they cried they had broken through, a brilliant burst of intense heat and light flared from the deep excavation.

With a Cybertronian battle cry on his lips, Breakdown launched himself over the edge of the pit, seeing Bulkhead coming from the other direction as they ploughed through the humans, the two working together to cause as much of a distraction as possible so that Soundwave could get into the ship and give them an assessment of the situation.

* * *

><p>Prowl's vision flared with heat and light for a moment, his body trembling as the force of it flung him backwards and away from the sudden opening that had been made through the dark hole he had been attempting to crawl into. With a muffled thud, he struck the wall, sliding down it to fall into a heap, his golden optics reflecting how dazed he was, his processors swimming with pain.<p>

Suddenly there was something warm touching against his cheek, startling him, as he was being given a good examination, tested for the scent of another. A sleek black form was beside him, regarding him with interested optics, its long tail whipping back and forth with silent interest. Some part of him recognised the creature, his mind screaming that this was the enemy… He wanted to reach for a weapon, anything to defend himself with against…

A pair of crimson optics suddenly filled his vision, a face revealed from behind a now retracted full facial visor. Recognition was instantaneous, his lips parting on a sound which stopped when his face was grasped by strong hands, keeping his helm from slumping sideways on his neck.

"Prowl."

"_Traitor_."

"You might see it that way, Prowl, but that is not of any concern to me as of now." Soundwave's jaw clenched ever so slightly, his handsome features revealed in the light of the inferno still raging only a few yards away where both Bulkhead and Breakdown were practically taking apart every human they could find. "Where is my bondmate?"

"You will get no…"

Soundwave's hands clenched, anger actually burning through him at the refusal of the former enforcer to answer him. "Where is he?"

"Not. Here." Prowl gritted out, his vision spinning, black dots darting across it rapidly.

"Search the ship Ravage." Soundwave gritted his denta, hoping that he was indeed right, after so long searching, desperate to find any trace of his bondmate Blaster, he could not be wrong. "Go."

The feline darted away, attempting to scent out the familiar Autobot, quite willing to do anything if it meant seeing his creator happy once more.

Soundwave however did not leave Prowl, his long fingered servos were already working on staunching the terrible lacerations that crossed over a number of Prowl's main fuel lines along his legs. He was no medic, but he could keep the Autobot from leaking out and offlining permanently. "I never wanted it to end up this way." Soundwave breathed, the words more to himself than to Prowl.

"Jazz…?" Prowl's voice was nothing more than a rasp of sound, golden optics gazing up at Soundwave, searching the mech's features, pleading for an answer to his question even if this mech was an enemy.

"His spark has been recovered."

Relief flashed across Prowl's handsome features, his golden optics beginning to shutter slowly, what strength he had possess slowly beginning to fade now that he knew Jazz was safe. Just as darkness swallowed him whole.

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><p><strong>FirestarXArcee, RatchetXAid and the scene with Arcee and Tailgate definitely next chapter. Maybe even a little beeXbolt. Who knows? Requests welcome. <strong>


	5. Part 5: Divergence

**Author's Note: Do you know I've come to realise that this story is actually a set up for most of the pairings that I want to write about throughout the Shelter Series? This will be the last chapter for the 'combined' everyone story or at least for the numbers of pairings floating around here. I have several plot lines that characters will be divided into and allowed to 'romance out'. LOOL Hopefully I will be able to improve my action writing?  
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**Disclaimer: Own nothing.  
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><p><strong>Canyons, Nevada, Earth [Two Weeks Earlier]<strong>

_"Distracted?" Firestar perched on a rock, legs stretching out before her, emerald green optics sweeping over the features of the Aerialbot commander, his tall lithe frame striking for even an Autobot. Some part of her had to admit that he was quite something to look at, long wings swept upwards, the tips twitching slightly, the metal a shimmering silver that reflected and bent light around him, adding to his camouflage. _

_"What makes you say that?" Silverbolt glanced towards the femme and he offered a small smile, though it didn't quite reach the pale silver-blue of his optics. _

_"The glazed look you keep wearing, Flybot." _

_"I am merely… anxious." _

_"About?" Both optical ridges lifted at that, a finger lightly tapping against her jaw and she just wanted to grin. It truly was the first time she had seen Silverbolt distracted by something other than his four rather… interesting brothers. "You got someone on your processors, Bolts?"_

_Wings twitched sharply at that, a guilty look flashing across his features before he clammed up, his back straightening and he focused his complete attention on Firestar. He knew far better than to approach the deceptively relaxed femme, knowing quite well from the interactions between his younger siblings and Firestar that any mech stupid enough to get within a few yards of the femme was going to get a fist in the tanks for his stupidity. _

_"Hey." Her lips softened into a gentle smile, the teasing evaporating from her tone. "I'm not going to spill the screws to anyone, you know if you ever need to talk..." _

_"He's here." Silverbolt abruptly strode from one side of the canyon to the other, light on his pedes and almost seeming to hover as he paced. His obvious agitation ratcheted up a notch or two, wings twitching and hands curling at his sides. "Here. Can feel him…" _

Okay_. Firestar stared at the usually calm and collected Aerialbot whom acted as if he was a love-struck sparkling over its first attachment. "Slow down, Bolts." Seeing the mech like that almost made her want to smile, knowing that the gentle Aerialbot had found someone that touched his spark in that special way that no other could. Though she could figure exactly why Silverbolt had clamped down on revealing anything, considering the nature of some of his younger siblings and the general attitude of most flyers to _dustkicker_ like her. "Who?" _

_"Bumblebee." A servo was rubbed across his facial plates, silvery optics dulling to a pallid grey, expression almost pained. "I…" _

_Now this wasn't a match she would have ever picked for Silverbolt, but for some reason she had to admit she did think it could work. Silverbolt was gentle, protective and as sweet-natured as mechs came, she could see him with the upbeat yellow scout. "You're worried about your brothers?" _

_A slight nod, the mech paused, before dropping to his aft onto a boulder opposite her, however he fell silent when a mech slowly approached them, his white and maroon armour glinting in the afternoon sunshine. A long range sniper rifle rested over one shoulder, clinking softly against the mech's armour. _

_"Commander." A small datapad was offered out, the mech's blue optics flickering towards Silverbolt for a moment, a flash of warning appearing in them as he straightened. He was protective of Firestar, the femme who had saved his life. "The scans you asked for." _

_"Thankyou, Tailgate." Accepting the pad, she was already running over the data that had been gathered in the planetary scans. Though her lips immediately dropped downwards the moment she caught sight of Arcee's signal away from the Autobot Base, which Firestar had roughly pinpointed to an area of Nevada. The signal was near that of Airachnid, and immediately she was on her pedes. "Tailgate, wait. Pack your rifle, we're going hunting." _

_"Firestar this is no time for…" _

_"You have your reasons for being here, Bolts, and I have mine. It will not interfere in our mission, but I swore to myself that as long as I was here, I would guard her."_

_"Good luck then, may you find the wind at your back and the skies clear." _

_"Same to you, Bolts."_

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><p><strong>The Autobot Base, Nevada, Earth<strong>

_"Stubborn." The mech chuckled softly to himself as he tugged the datapad from Ratchet's fingers, gaining a rather sharp look from the bot. _

_A scowl crossing the fine lips and drew the mech's optical ridges together over his piercing azure blue optics, beneath the sweeping arches of his chevrons. "I was reading that." _

_"You _are_ meant to be recharging." First Aid rolled his optics and regarded the large frame sprawled across the berth with amusement. Though his hand reached out to ever so lightly brush against one shin guard, fingers lingering against the warm metal, absently stroking over it as he regarded the rather stubborn medic who had ended up in his care. "They say that medics make the worst patients and I have to agree its true." _

_A shiver rippled up through Ratchet's frame at the touch that left every sensor node he owned tingling with awareness of just how close First Aid was, close enough to reach out. His fingers twitched, before curling up into loose fists to prevent himself reaching out and catching the beautiful medic around the waist and drawing him in closer. _

Ratchet felt his fingers curl slightly as he watched First Aid work, his expression a touch blank as he just watched his beloved working over Jazz. His optics dimmed as he trailed down the length of his bondmate's frame, noting every ding and scratch on the pale blue and white paintwork, a stab of anger with both himself and the humans ringing through him. "You should be recharging."

"As should you." First Aid responded distractedly, a hand reaching for the tools on a tray just out of reach and felt around for them before Ratchet moved in beside him and handed him the tool he knew the smaller medic had been looking for.

Slowly, the larger mech eased in closer, arms slowly sliding around his bondmate's slender waist and pressing in close against his back, his mouth brushing along the back of his beautiful mate's neck and nape. Lingering like that, he just allowed his palms to rise up across the slender chassis, dipping beneath armour plating and allowing his fingers to press against his bondmate's spark casing, feeling the flutter of the twins eagerly responding to his presence.

"I'm almost done." Pale blue optics shuttered behind his visor, hands stilling as he enjoyed the feeling of being held in those strong arms, the light touches that soothed not only his spark, but also every other part of him. "Can you check on Agent Fowler for me?" And also June Darby and Jack. The request went unspoken, but his head tipped towards where all three humans were deeply in their own organic recharge cycles, Fowler hooked up to an IV on the small human sized medical berth and the two other humans curled on the transformer sized pillow that had been brought in from one of the empty rooms and served as a bed for the other two who had remained on the base.

Ratchet's head dropped against First Aid's shoulder, before there was a shimmer across from them and Ratchet's holoform appeared beside the bed, coppery brown locks framing a rough, though handsome face. It was far easier to care for humans as holoforms than in their own bodies without fear of harming them. Running quick scans of Fowler, he was grateful to see that the human was recovering nicely from the burns, though his dark hair was singed or missing in places, his skin was only a little pink still and would be gone by morning.

"How is he?" Ratchet was startled by the sound of June Darby's voice, his head turning to regard the worried woman who sat up and had shifted to the edge of the 'bed'.

"Recovering well." Though he was running through his observations with First Aid over their bond quickly to be certain he was right as human anatomy was more his bondmate's specialty than his own. "He will be more than likely fully functional by morning, only a mild discolouration to the epidermis for a quarter orn."

Her lips twitched tiredly, though amusement sparked in her eyes. "How long?"

"Three days." He rubbed his fingers against his eyes and wished that he could sleep, but as with most times members of their team were injured, recharge was not something that found either medic easily.

"You look tired." Her head tipped towards where the two mechs stood curled together before a rather odd contraption First Aid had been working on since Optimus and Ironhide had been shuffled out of medbay after their wounds had been seen to and told to recharge before either of them even considered going off base. "Both of you do." Worry sparked in her grey-blue eyes, ones that were so like Jack's. "How is… your friend?" She still couldn't quite equate the brilliant blue spark rattling around within the sphere with the metal giants that walked the base.

"Jazz is… alive." He could not say more…

_'Prowler...' _The name crackled across Ratchet's communications systems and the holoform instantly dropped the medical scanner he had been using to clatter on the ground as he turned back towards his bondmate.

"One moment…" A little more fiddling by First Aid and there was a static filled crackle filling the air.

The sound faded in and out for a moment, before Cybertronian words came across the now open and audible channel. "Where's… Prowler? Where… Where am Ah?"

"Oops." Aid gave June a wry little smile, before adding in a small translation subroutine to the communications patch he had made for Jazz's spark.

"Prowler?"

"Jazz." First Aid whispered softly.

"Aid… _Primus_… Ah felt yah before… are yah really 'ere?"

"Jazz." Ratchet's holoform had evaporated and he was shifting beside his bondmate, gripping his lover tightly and pressing a warm kiss just beneath the pretty mech's audio. "Both I and First Aid are present."

"Ratch? What… happen'd ta meh? Da Ark…? _Prowler_?"

"You were gravely injured during an attack of some sort shortly before the Decepticons attacked the Ark and I fear… it crashed." Or at least that was what he could make sense of the memory file he had glimpsed from Jazz. "Unfortunately we have yet to locate the Ark, but was have two scouts already on the ground searching. Do you remember anything about when you first regained awareness?"

"Pain. Organics…"

"Jazz." Now it was Optimus who spoke, the mech appearing in the doorway followed by Ironhide, both of them looking at least partially rested, but still on edge.

"'Rion?"

"Looks like you want to be apart of your own lightshow."

A soft sound of what almost seemed like laughter escaped Jazz, a note of relief in the undertones filtered through the speaker resting on one side of the modified speaker system. "Good ta 'ere yahr finally back where yah belon', 'Hide. We had receiv'd word dat yah…"

"I am well." Though Ironhide caught the look of both medics and shifted his weight, his jaw clenching knowing that a lot of his own memory files from the time he had been in Decepticon hands were corrupted to nearly beyond repair and it was likely he would suffer a lot more in the orns to come before his neural net began to knit itself back together. "But right now, tell us what you can remember Jazz…"

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><p>Consciousness was slow in returning to Arcee, her entire frame aching and throbbing from the explosion that had struck her so brutally, her side still pulsed in reminder of the wound she had taken. Her mind couldn't quite grasp the fact that she was curled on something soft, her face turned slightly, pressing her features into what appeared to be a pillow. Brows pressed together slightly, actually surprised by it. She <em>never<em> recharged in her own berth. The only place she ended up recharging was in her vehicle mode in Jack's cold garage.

Something gentle brushed against her forehead, stroking ever so softly down across her cheekplate, and lingering for a moment, reassuring to her spark before it was gone. She almost wanted to let out a cry when the fingers left her face, her optics were fighting to open.

"Peace…" It was a soft whisper and the hand returned, stilling her distress and soothing it away again. "Peace now, Arcee. I will not leave you."

A feminine voice, it made her curl just a little closer, instantly draw in by something that was now very familiar to her spark. Strong arms that had protected her, shielded her. Firestar.

"What am I meant to do about all this, 'Star?" A masculine voice came from across the room, it too held a hint of familiarity to its cadence and accent, yet it held a hint of something she didn't quite understand… pain? Regret? "I'm not who she remembers. I… I'm not the same bot. I… I don't want to be the source of her anger towards Airachnid, my presence… will pain her."

"And your absence would be worse."

"I am a reminder of that orn…"

"And you are also a reminder of the good things." Firestar countered, her palm continuing to sooth Arcee's restless movements. "I will need you to watch over her for me." A fingertip traced the soft curve of the femme's jaw, lightly caressing back and forth. "She'll probably not like it." A sweet little laugh escaped the crimson femme as she leaned back a little more, feeling Arcee shift and curl into her side. "But if anything happened to her, I would never forgive myself. I was a fool once."

"Commander?"

Arcee stilled, having become aware of the conversation going on around her, aware of the femme whom had saved her life barely a few joors before, aware that Firestar had not left her side since she had been injured. What was this beautiful femme saying? Strangely enough her spark was in her vocal components, desperately hoping that she would find out, privately praying to Primus for Firestar to talk.

"Arcee was a member of Elita's squad for a time, she is one of the finest fighters I have ever seen and I… noticed." The strikingly beautiful femme swallowed hard.

"You…?" Tailgate was actually startled by the fact that Firestar had taken to someone, though the femme was beautiful and there were many who would willingly give up a limb to even have a chance with her, Firestar had never even glanced at another.

"Its why I'm here instead of Elita. I argued that her absence would be far more noticeable to the enemy than mine. I spend more time on _Paradise_ than most… for the last two vorns I've been on only a handful of missions. I am more administrator for our Squad than fighter, there are others I have trained to do my work… They are just as capable of doing it as I." Firestar shifted a little. "But… you know all this." Lips twitching she shook her helm a little. "Only mech I trust to guard my back." And the mech had proven to be just as protective as she was of her femmes. "But… as I said… I argued to lead this mission, I just… I wanted to see her again. Just even from a distance… I thought it would be enough…" But it hadn't been. She hadn't been following the Autobots… she had been following _Arcee_.

"I've never seen you like this before." The mech whispered softly, leaning forwards in the chair he was seated in across the room, his oceanic optics just watching the pair of femmes. "But I'll watch her back for you, Firestar, I swear it on my spark, no harm will come to her."

"That won't be necessary if I come with you."

Firestar hand jerked back in surprise as Arcee stirred, her magenta ringed blue optics gazing up at Firestar with a determination glowing in their depths. "Arcee…" Firestar's mind was racing, attempting to work out exactly what the femme had heard her say, did she know now of… things that shouldn't have been spoken of. A protest wanted to come to her lips, but gazing into those striking blue optics, any resistance she had had to having this femme at her side vanished. "Alright, but only if Optimus can spare you."

The corners of Arcee's lips quirked upwards. "I'm sure he could."

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><p><em>"Bulkhead to Base." <em>

Tailgate glanced up from where he had been cleaning his weapon at the side of the main entrance into the base.

_"I need a little bit of backup. Just found the Ark and you wouldn't believe who's helping me." _

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><p><strong>Mount St. Hilary, Oregon-Nevada Border, Earth<strong>

Soundwave stood, his jaw gritting ever so slightly, anger banked behind a stoic mask he tried to pull back into place while he gazed down at the now unconscious but no longer leaking Autobot. "I never betrayed those I swore my allegiance to." His crimson optics regarded the black and white mech and glanced out into the fighting just beyond the opening, the brilliant flashes of light illuminated the damaged ship.

Ravage prowled out of the dark recesses, tail twitching and blood red optics peering up at Soundwave. _'He isn't here.' _The feline darted forwards, giving Prowl another quick sniff, clearly attempting to work out exactly who had come into contact with the Autobot before the crash, even the oldest scents tended to linger on armour. _'I smell Scorponok.'_ A hiss escaped the feline, spinal plating raising in intense disgust. _'And Skullcrusher.'_

"Assessment?"

_'He is not here. I have checked what I can reach of the ship, the Decepticons took him in the first strike.'_ Regarding Prowl with a look of distain that only a feline could manage, Ravage was taking in what information he could, recording everything just in case it was needed by Soundwave. _'Fools.'_

"Uninformed." Soundwave corrected softly, already taking in his surroundings as well and knowing it was time for him to make an escape, he could already hear the sounds of the Autobot GroundBridge flaring into life and backup arriving. "Blaster clearly did not have a chance to inform them of our plan. All will be well in time." Or so he had always promised himself silently, as long as Blaster's spark still burned, Soundwave would know it.

_'I do not know how you can stand to interact with the Decepticons.'_ Ravage rubbed himself against Soundwave's leg, feeling the slide of the mech's fingers down over his back. _'Between the CBD and incompetence…'_

Soundwave arched a single optical ridge at Ravage's comment, while they surveyed the battlefield, noting that the fighting had thankfully moved back from the entrance made in the side of the Ark where it had been sheered off in the crash.

_'Chronic Backstabbing Disorder.' _Ravage gave a small feline grin. _'One word: Starscream.'_

"He is incompetent yes, but also controllable at times." Something Soundwave had to admit was extremely useful, though at other times just made his mission all the more difficult. "Go."

Ravage did so, taking across the battlefield like a sensor wraith, plotting a path for Soundwave's own retreat. He had need of the Nemesis's computer library before he could again search for his bondmate. It would only be a matter of time before his absence would begin to be noticed as would that of Breakdown. Starscream, though incompetent could be surprisingly perceptive when one least expected or wanted it. It was that perceptiveness for which his current position as Megatron's Second could be attributed to.

This war had only just began to heat up again. He had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before there were big shifts in the way power flowed between the Autobots, Decepticons and now the humans known as MECH. Privately Soundwave hoped that he would be able to get out from right in the middle of it. Before he was quickly transforming and following Ravage out, knowing that time was something no one seemed to have anymore.

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><p><strong>Pairings to come in their stories: Soundwave and Blaster 'Voice In The Wilderness', Silverbolt and Bumblebee 'Twist In The Wind', ProwlXJazz 'In Black And White', Arcee and Firestar 'In The Balance', Bulkhead and Breakdown 'Hard and Fast', Cliffjumper and Tailgate 'Change Of Heart. <strong>

**But I'm definitely writing out one story first, the plot is just too tempting to me and it will actually shed a lot of light on Soundwave and Blaster's past and also what is up with Firestar, Alpha Trion and Silverbolt XD Some of Bulkhead's history with Wheeljack might also be explored. Its the cracky (but a personal favourite pairing) Wheeljack and Thundercracker. I just adore their sparkling Skipjack far too much, she's a brilliant little ball of fun.** I might even get to start 'Critical Mass' Tonight! Who knows? But I'm also willing to write another of the stories as I'm writing Critical Mass since most of the stories are timeline wise happening at the same time. Suggestions who you want to see?


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